Pressure release mechanism



Sept. 20, 1949. c. c. KINKER 2,482,346

PRES SURE RELEASE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

U1 C AF? ISA/CE CARL (UV/(ER BY l 9;)2

p 1949. c. c. KINKER 2,482,346

PRESSURE RELEASE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 23, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1 5} .YI

. INVENTOR. (A A REA g5- CARL K/A/KH? Patented Sept. 20, 1949 PRESSURE RELEASE MECHANISM Clarence Carl Kinker, Defiance, Ohio, assignor to Defiance Machine Works, Inc., Defiance, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 23, 1947, Serial No. 723,747

3 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanisms for relieving pressure between relatively movable parts of machines in which the two parts are moved, for example, toward each other to exert a high pressure. An example of this type of machine is a press where two portions of a die must be forced together to mold, shape or compact material between the two portions of the die.

A machine of this type often is equipped with pressure rods or pull rods which are actuated by mechanical means or other means mounted in one portion of the machine which also carries one-half of the die and which are secured to the other portion of the machine carrying the other half of the die. The operation of the machine then consists in pulling the two members together by means of the shafts or rods until the two halves of the die have been brought closely enough together to form or compact the material contained therein to the desired shape or consistency. If a machine of this type is mechanically actuated as, for example, by a crank and connecting rod, and if some foreign matter gets into the material which is being shaped or compacted, or if an excess of material enters the space between the dies, it often results in jamming the machine. In other words, the die halves are not permitted to close because of the excessive Volume of material entrapped between them and the crank cannot pass over its dead spot. When this occurs the machine must be backed off to relieve the jam and the foreign Or excessive material removed from the die so that further operations can take place.

If the machine has jammed tightly it oftentimes is practically impossible to relieve the jam by backing off the machine and it is then necessary to disassemble the machine so that the two halves can be separated from each other to permit the removal of the excess material. This process is, of necessity, laborious and time consuming.

This invention has for its object the provision of a releasable mechanism for simply and easily relieving the pressure on the pull rods when the machine jams.

In the drawings:

Figure I is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of a mechanically actuated pilling or preforming machine which employs dies for compacting granular or powdered materials and which is equipped with a pressure release mechanism embodying the invention.

Figure II is a fragmentary side view in elevation of the machine shown in Figure I with its dies closed.

Figure III is a fragmentary elevational view on an enlarged scale of the uppermost portion of the machine shown in Figures I and II.

Figure IV is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line IV-IV of Figure III.

Figure V is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a modification of the pressure release mechanism embodying the invention.

Figure VI is an exploded view of the several parts of the pressure release mechanism shown in Figure V.

The machine shown in Figure I has a main body I which contains power mechanism (for example, a heavy electric motor, gearing-crank and connecting rod means) which reciprocates four pull rods 2 during a machine cycle. Near the upper end of the body I there is located a lower die member 3 which is in line with an upper die member 4 mounted in a crosshead 5. The machine shown in the drawings is equipped with a hand wheel 6 for adjusting the position of the upper die 4 in the crosshead 5. The machine also has an automatic feeding device I which feeds measured charges of the material to be compacted into the interior of a loading box 8 which is located between the lower and upper dies 3 and 4, respectively.

The crosshead 5 has four vertically bored bosses 9 through which extend the four pull rods 2. The pull rods 2 are shouldered and thus support the crosshead 5 and are threaded at their uppermost ends to receive four heavy retaining nuts I0. Thus, when the driving mechanism located in the base exerts a downward pull on the rods 2 this pull is transferred to the crosshead 5 by the nuts l0 and, of course, to the upper die 4 which is mounted in the crosshead 5. The crosshead and upper die are moved downwardly where they match with the lower die 3 and compress the material into the form or density required (as shown in Figure II).

Interposed between the opposing faces of the nuts I0 and the bosses 9 is a pressure release mechanism which embodies the instant inven-.-

tion. The form of the mechanism illustrated in Figures I through IV is designed to be employed where the pull rods 2 are of suificient length to provide for its assembly between the nuts l and the bosses 9. Each pressure release mechanism is associated with two of the pull rods and consists of wedge cut spacers and washers assembled around the pull rods 2 between the nuts l0 and the bosses 9. Immediately beneath the nut In there is located a washer II (Figure III) which has a spherical lower surface and which matcheswith a concave spherical surface milled inthe upper side of a wedge-shaped spacer l2. The central bores in both the washer I l and the spacer F2 are cylindrical being only slightly larger than the outside diameter of the pull rod 2. Matching with the wedge-shaped lower face of the spacer I2 is a second spacer [3. The bore at the center of the spacer I3 is offset slightly (see-Figure IV) to form a.

crescent-shaped space M at the outer side of the pull rod 2. At the inner side of the spacer [3 there is located a cylindrical horizontally extending boss l5 which is centrally bored to receive the conical end of a thrust rod 16. The other end of the thrust rod I6 is threaded into a cylindrical boss I'T which extends horizontally from a lower spacer [8 otherwise substantially identical with the lower spacer l3 but mounted on the other of the associated pair of tie rods 2. A second upper spacer I 9 identical with the upper spacer I2 and a second spherical washer 20 identical with the washer H are mounted on the other tie rod 2' between its nut H] and boss 9. The thrustrod I6 is provided with a nut and a hexagonal portion 22 so that it can be rotated. I"

When. the pressure release mechanism is in its operative position (as shown in Figure III) the thrust rod I5 is threaded out of the boss l1 and locked in place by the nut 21 to spread the spacer I3- and I8 and hold them in matched position with the upper spacers l2 and I9. The lower spacers l3. and I8 are each provided with a pad 22 which extends laterally from the outer spherical'surface of the spacers.

When the dies have been closed as is shown in Figure II and, if at this time the mechanism jams due to the presence of foreign matter or excessive material in the dies, the pressure or jam can easily be relieved by loosening the nut 2|, threading the thrust rod l6 farther into the boss H and thus permitting thelower spacers to move inwardly to-" ward each other. If the mechanismis: jammed very tightly it may be necessary todriye these wedge-shaped members inwardly by striking the pads. 22 with a mallet, for example; This inward movement of the wedge-shaped spacers l3 and I8 relieves the tension on the pull rods 2 and the pressure exerted through them onthe. erosshead 5. This establishes freedom in the entire machine and permits the mechanism to be backed off or moved on through its cycle to lift the cr'osshead 5 and separate the two halves of the die. When the foreign material has been cleared'from the die and it is desired to resume operation it is. necessary only to spread the twospacers l3 and l-il' bythe ro tation of r the push rod in and then tolock the push rod l6 in place by tightening the nu-t'if; This restores the upper and lower wedges to their op erative position and reestablishes the spacing con: ditions between the nuts-Hi and bosses 9 and, thus, between the upper and lower halvesof the die so that the production cycle can be resumed.

In Figure. Va modification of the invention is shown which is designed to be employed on machines constructed with shorter pull rods where the machines originally were constructed without incorporating pressure release mechanism of this type. In the machine of which a fragmentary portion is shown in Figure V a tie nut originally was threaded on the uppermost portion of a pull rod 23 with'its face bearing directly upon the upper surface of a boss zdsimilar to the bosses 9 illustrated in Figures I through IV. In order to permit the installation of pressure release mechanism embodying the invention in the same space as formerly was occupied by the nut above, this form of 1 the invention has a; flanged cylindrical nut 25 which threads on the upper end of the tie rod 23 and is provided with a sleeve-like cylindrical exterior. A spherical washer 26 and two wedge-shapedspacers 21 and 2 8 all are assembled around the outer cylindrical surface of the nut 25 between. its upper laterally extending flange 2H and the upper surface of the boss 24. These parts 25, 26; 21 and 28 are identical in func tion and operation with the parts IO, N, l2 and I3 shown in Figure III, The washer 26 has a spherical upper surface. on which the flange 29 rests, and the upper surface of the spacer 21, in turn, matches with the spherical lower surface of the washer 25. The spacers 21 and 28 have wedge-shaped matching surfaces and the bores of the Washer 28 and spacer 21 are cylindrical while that of the lower spacer 28=is offset to provide a crescent-shaped space 38 which allowsthe lower spacer 28 to be moved laterally to relieve the pressure. The lower spacer 28 has a later ally extending bored boss 31 which is similar to the boss IE on the spacer I 3 and which receives the conical end of 'a push rod 32 similar to the push rod Hi. The push rod 32 is connected into mechanism on the other push rod 23 which is siml'ar to the mechanism already described.

The embodiments of the invention which have been described may be modified to meet various requirements,

Having described the invention; I' claim:

1. Pressure release mechanism for securing a tie rod to a, crosshead through which the tie rod projects, comprising, in combination, aretainer removably secured on. the end of said tie rod and having apressure faceon theside toward said crosshead, wedge-shaped matching spacers interposed between the pressure face and said crosshead, at least one of'said spacers being 'laterally movable, and'releasable means for maintaining said spacers i in position with their wedges matched and forv permittin'gf'at least one of said spacers to be moved laterally whereby the wedges are mismatched and play between said retainer" and said crosshead is introduced.

2. Pressure release mechanism for securing a tie rod to a crosshead. through which the tierod projects, comprising, in combination, a nut threaded on the and of said tie rod and having a pressure face on the. side toward saidcrosshead, wedge-shaped matching spacers interposed. between. saidnut and said crosshead, at least one of said space-rs being laterally movable, and releasable means for maintaining said spacers; in

position with their wedges matched and. for perlaterally wherebythe wedges are mismatched and play between said nut and said cross/head introduced.

3. Pressure release mechanisni for securing a tie recite a crosshead through which the tie rod I5 proiects', comprising, "in combination, a flanged nut having a cylindrical exterior threaded on the REFERENCES CITED end of said tie rod, wedge-shaped matching spacers interposed between the flange on said nut g g i fi gw s i fi are of record m the and said crosshead, at least one of said spacers p being laterally movable with respect to said nut, 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS and releasable means for maintaining said spac- Number Name Date ers in position with their wedges matched and for 1 295 189 Morgan Feb 25 1919 permitting at least one of said spacers to be moved 2038795 Klocke 1936 laterally whereby the wedges are mismatched and play between said nut and said crosshead is 10 FOREIGN PATENTS introduced- Number Country Date CLARENCE CARL KINKER- 471,188 Germany Feb, 8, 1929 

